Cigarette making machine



ETAL 3,146,780

7 Sheets-Sheet l Sept- 1, 1964 E. HARRISON, JR.,

CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE Filed Dec. so, 1959 Sept l) 1964 E, HARRISON, JR., ETAL 3,146,780

CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE Filed Dec. 50, 1959 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 N Q u.

INVENTORS EDMUND HARRISON, JI? COLIN S. MCARTHUR BY ROY LA YELVERTON ATT E. HARRISON, JR., ETAL' 3,146,780

Sept. 1, 1964 CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 A Filed Dec. 50, 1959 INVENTORS EDMUND HARRISON,J|'. COLIN S. MCARTHUR ROY l-.

ATTORNEY Sept. l, 1964 Filed Dec. 30, 1959 E. HARRISON, JR., ETAL CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS EDMUND HARRISON, Jn COLIN S. MCARTHUR ROY L. YELVERTON A TORNE Y SePt- 1, 1964 E. HARRISON, JR., ETAL 3,146,780

CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 30, 1959 MOTOR o V R E S Q CIGARETTE ROLL INVENTORS EDMUND HARRlsoN, Jr.

GOUN s. MCARTHUR BY ROY L. YELVERTON A REY l Sept. l, 1964 Filed DeC. 30, 1959 E. HARRISON, JR., ETAL CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 EDMUND HARRISON,Jr. COLIN S. MCARTHUR ROY L. YELVERTON Sept- 1, 1964 E. HARRISON, JR., ETAL 3,146,780

CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE '7 Sheets-Sheet '7 Filed Dec. 30, 1959 INVENToRs EDMUND HARRISON, Jr.

- coLlN s. MCARTHUR BY ROY I.. YELvERToN AT TRNE Y United States Patent O 3,146,780 CCGARETTE MAEQNG MACHINE Edmund Harrison, Jr., and Colin S. McArthur, Richmond, Va., and Roy L. Yelverton, Gulf Breeze, Fla., assignors to American Machine @t Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Ecc. 3l), 1959, Ser. No. 863,043 lll Claims. (Cl. 13d- 21) The present invention relates to mechanism for manufacturing cigarettes, and more particularly relates to improvements in the control of the weight of individual cigarettes produced by a cigarette making machine of the continuous rod type.

An example of a system for controlling the weight of individual cigarettes is described in U.S. Patent No. 3,113,576. In that application, control of the Weight of individual increments of tobacco comprising a cigarette rod is achieved by measuring the weight of successive cross-sectional increments of tobacco as they are being formed into a cigarette rod and then adding tobacco to the moving incremental stream where necessary, by means of a separate, auxiliary, rapidly responding feed, positioned adjacent to the path of travel of the moving tobacco stream.

While the weight control, as effected by the apparatus described in the aforesaid specification, is very good, it is desired to improve further the uniformity of the iinished cigarettes. The system described in the aforesaid application lras no means for correcting long term variations in the weight of the continuous length of cigarette rod. Under certain conditions it is possible in this system for the supply of tobacco fed from the main hopper to become so depleted that both the tobacco supplied to the rod forming mechanism and to the subsidiary hopper of the individual weight control apparatus is substantially exhausted, although variations in individual increments of tobacco density are corrected almost until the point of exhaustion is reached.

According to the present invention there is provided a system for controlling both the long term variations and the short term of individual weight variations in the weight of tobacco being made into cigarettes. Such a system comprises means for feeding tobacco to a rod former in the form of a shower from a main hopper of a cigarette making machine, means for constantly extracting the tobacco from the shower with the rate of extraction varying in accordance with measured long term variations in the density oi the tobacco being formed into a cigarette rod, and means for feeding the extracted tobacco in the form of a continuously moving stream to the hopper of an individual weight controlling device which deposits measured portions of the tobacco on to the moving stream in accordance with variations in the weight of successive increments of said tobacco stream.

Accordingly, a principal object of the invention is to provide a cigarette weight control system wherein both long and short term variations are corrected by a single unitary device, with the tobacco output resulting from control or long term Variations being fed to the input of a subsidiary hopper as a supply for the controller of the short term variations.

In a preferred arrangement of the invention, detection and measurement of the long term variations occurs over a relatively long period of time with respect to the short term measurements. The detector is stationed along the path of travel of the stream of tobacco and at a position subsequent to the forming of the tobacco into a cigarette rod, which position is preferably beyond the station where the individual weighed portions of tobacco are added to the stream. In` effect the integrated results of the individual weight corrections are measured, and such Patented Sept. 1,1964

integrated measurements are utilized to control the main feed and thus correct for long term variations.

Another feature of the present invention relates to improvements in the mechanism disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,113,576, for depositing metered portions of tobacco from the subsidiary feed hopper onto the continuously moving main stream. In that case the tobacco falls in a natural shower from the outlet of the hopper and onto the main stream, merely by force of gravity. It has been found the tobacco stored in an associated supply hopper and exiting therefrom had a tendency to pack therein and consequently to be deposited non-uniformly in lump portions upon the moving stream. For best operation the particles of tobacco supplies by the subsidiary hopper should be separated from each other and flowing therefrom.

lt is accordingly a further object of the invention to provide mechanism for showering measured portions of tobacco onto a traveling stream thereof with high velocity at a constant acceleration so that the measured portions are delivered in a well deiined stream with the saine variabiiity and quantity as measured.

According to the present invention, there is provided a high velocity stream oi' tobacco with the particles having equal acceleration so that each particle reaches the moving stream at the same time. By means of a novel picker roller conguration, co-acting in combination with an associated discharge chute having a special coniiguration, the shower of tobacco upon the moving stream is caused to be well defined and of a narrow angle.

For a better understanding of the invention, together with other and further objects thereof, reference is made to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FiG. l is a schematic diagram of the present invention as applied to a continuous rod cigarette making machine;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of a cigarette making machine showing the present invention applied thereto;

FiG. 3 is a front elevation, partly in section, illustrating the extracting unit in conjunction with the subsidiary feed unit;

FIG. 4 is a sectional plan View of the tobacco extracting unit and its actuating mechanism;

FIG. 5 is a sectional, diagrammatic plan view illustrating the variable speed drives for the tobacco metering unit;

FIG. 6 is a sectional end elevation ofthe tobacco metering unit in conjunction with the extracting unit;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the extracting unit in a metering unit supply position;

FiG. 8 is a plan view showing the extracting unit in a metering unit lay-passing position;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the picker roller fan assembly.

Referring now to the drawings, in FlG. 1 there is shown a main feed M having a conventional feed hopper H and a shower chamber 10 from which tobacco 11 is showered onto a moving belt or traveling band 12 in the usual manner to form a tobacco liller T thereon where it is conveyed in the direction shown to the cigarette making mechanism 13 (FIG. 2). An extractor mechanism generally indicated as 14 is positioned adjacent to main feed M and above belt 12 and is adapted to extract continuously a portion of the shower of tobacco 11 from the main feed M.

Extractor 14, shown in more detail in FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6, preferably has a substantially horizontal, trough shaped member 16 which is introduced into one side of la conventional chute 17 of shower chamber 10 so as to intercept a portion of the tobacco shower 11. Trough 16 forms the extension of a tube 18, which is slidably guided by a half collar member 2l) aixed to the wall of chute 17, and also secured to a movable drive housing 22 by a flange 24. Housing 22, in turn, is fastened by screws 25 to a bearing 26 by means of a bridging plate 23. Bearing 26, encased in a sleeve housing 30, is adapted to slide axially along a shaft 32 which is supported by means of stationary bracket arms 34, 36. Shaft 32 and bearing 26 serve to maintain trough 16 in proper alignment with the side of chute 17, yet allow trough 16 to be inserted or withdrawn into the feed as desired.

Bridging plate 28 is also attached through a rib-like member 38 to a housing 40 which contains a suitably mounted, ball-bearing type nut (not shown), which is adapted to travel along a threaded shaft 42 when the shaft is rotated. Shaft 42 is rotatably mounted within a cylindrical housing 43 by means of bearings 45, 47. The ball bearing type nut within housing 40 and shaft 42 may be a conventional drive of the type commonly known as a Saginaw screw. As bracket arms 34, 36 are stationary, bearing plate 2S moves in lateral relation thereto, being movably supported by bearings 26 riding on shaft 32 and housing 40 riding on shaft 42. By rotating shaft 42, the tube 18 is shifted axially in either direction thus causing the trough 16 to project, more or less, into chute 17 of shower chamber 10 and intercept and collect a marginal portion of tobacco shower 11. Collar 20 has fastened thereto a flange 21 formed from resilient material and in engagement with the outer surface of slidable tube 18, thus forming a dust seal for tube 18 and trough 16 when partially withdrawn.

A conveyor screw 44 rotatably mounted in bearings 46, 48 (FIG. 3) in housing 22 but having a xed position in relation to trough 16, is driven constantly through pulleys 49, 50 and belt 51 by a motor 52 mounted on bridging plate 28, which also serves as a motor bed. Screw 44 and trough 16 project into the path of tobacco shower 11 and operate to convey the intercepted tobacco in trough 16 through tube 18, which has an aperture 54 through which the extracted tobacco falls into a horizontal collecting trough 56.

A dust shield comprising a rectangular plate 58 is aixed to the traveling nut within housing 4) and is guided by means of slots 60, 62 and support brackets 34, 36, to prevent tobacco particles, dust or other matter from falling into housing 41 of threaded shaft 42.

Threaded shaft 42 is driven by a stationary reversible, synchronous motor 64 (FIGS. 1, 6) through pulleys 66, 68 and interconnecting belt 70. A tension device 69 holds belt 70 in snug engagement with pulleys 66, 68. By energizing synchronous motor 64 (FIGS. l, 6) intermittently and in alternate directions, it will be seen that trough 16 and associated screw 44 constantly disposed in fixed position relative to each other will both travel laterally through the action of threaded shaft 42 and nut 40, and will intercept more or less of shower 11 and thus regulate the amount of tobacco finally deposited upon the moving belt 12.

Limit switches 71, 73 are mounted at the extreme limits of lateral travel of extractor 14 and operate to disconnect motor 64 when either limit is reached, during instances of excessive over or under feeding from main feed M. Switches 71, 73 may be normally closed microswitches connected in series with the power source of motor 64.

If a signal is applied to motor 64 representative of the density of tobacco moving on belt 12 during an interval of several seconds, the long term variations in the weight of the tobacco filler may be corrected.

Such a signal may be derived from a known density detector positioned along the path of travel of tobacco T. Thus, a signal, indicating that the long term average density o'f the filler T is increasing, will cause motor 64 to rotate shaft 42 in a direction such that tube 18 moves laterally towards chute 17. Due to this lateral movement of tube 18, through 16 and rotating conveyor screw 44 intercepts and extracts a greater quantity of tobacco shower 11 from main feed M, thereby reducing the amount of tobacco supplied to belt 12 and thus decreasing the average weight of filler T until it returns to predetermined limits.

In instances where the average weight of tobacco filler T is too light, an opposite operation occurs. Thus, a light signal applied to reversible motor 64 causes the motor to reverse and rotate shaft 42 in a direction such that tube 18 moves laterally away from chute 17. Trough 16 and rotating conveyor screw 44, by this action, intercepts and extracts a lesser quantity of tobacco shower 11 from main feed M, thereby increasing the amount of tobacco supplied to belt 12 and thus increasing the average weight of filler T until it returns to predetermined limits. Motor 64 is then de-energized to await a signal indicate further variations in weight beyond established norms. For further details of the general mode of operation of extractor 14, reference may be made to S. Innocenti Patent No. 2,930,381, issued March 29, 1960.

Apparatus for detecting and translating variations in the weight of moving filler T to provide a feed regulating signal will be discussed in more detail below.

Referring again to FIG. 1, tobacco diagrammatically shown as falling from screw 44 into horizontal conveying trough 56 is conveyed by vibratory motion provided by a vibrator generally indicated as 72, into the mouth 74 of a hopper generally indicated as 78 which has a pair of chutes 80, 82. During operation of the system, tobacco flowing from vibratory trough 56 normally fails downwardly into chute 80 and is aided in its progress by a revolving shaft 84, positioned below mouth 74 at the junction point of chutes 80, 82, and rotated by a reversible motor 86. A vibrator S5, attached to chute 80, aids in maintaining a continuous flow of tobacco from trough 56. Vibrator may be simply an A.C. coil having its core attached to chute 8f), and supplied with a suitable A.C. voltage.

Subsidiary feed hopper 78 is arranged t0 receive and, as required, feed tobacco to a metering unit 87 which delivers a controlled amount of tobacco to the main tobacco filler stream T, as the latter moves toward cigarette forming apparatus 13 on belt 12. Metering unit 87 adds small portions of tobacco to the main stream T in response to density variations in successive cross-sectional increments, whichvariations are detected by a suitable, rapidly responding detector preferably positioned immediately preceding the tobacco exit from metering unit 87.

The general principles of operation of subsidiary feed hopper 78 are similar to apparatus disclosed in co-pending application of Arthur Bell, Ser. No. 801,106, filed March 23, 1959, now abandoned. Both the subsidiary feed system of the present invention and the apparatus disclosed in said co-pending application are operative to correct the short term variations in the weight of individual cigarettes and are commonly known as individual weight control systems. As the weight detecting units and associated electronic units', which are responsive to variations in the density of successive increments of the moving stream of tobacco and vary the amount of tobacco removed from the subsidiary hopper, are fully described in the aforesaid application and form no part of the present invention, they will be but briey described herein.

Referring now to FIGS. l, 3, 83 generally indicates a measuring head or electrode of a detector of a known type adapted to detect changes in the density of successive cross-sectional increments of the tobacco stream moving on belt 12. Detector 83 may comprise a fast responding radiation gauge, a dielectric gauge or any other suitable gauge.

The output of measuring head 83 is connected to the conventional detector-preamplifier stage 88 which in turn is connected to a servo motor amplifier 90. Amplifier 90 provides an A.C. driving voltage for a servo motor 92 connected thereto. The output shaft of servo motor 92 is connected to the input shaft of a set of conventional differential gears 94 which also has a constant speed input provided by a motor 96. Differential gears 94 have an output shaft 98 connected to a picker roller 100 positioned in metering unit 07, and rotatably mounted adjacent to the outlet of chute 80. Because of the action of differential gears 94, the output speed of shaft 90 varies according to Whether the speed of servo motor 92 is added or subtracted to that of constant speed motor 96. Thus the driving speed of picker roller 100 is varied in response to the magnitude and polarity of the input signals to servo motor 92, and accordingly in response to variations in the weight of successive cross-sectional increments of the tobacco moving on belt 12.

Metering unit 87 will now be described in more detail. Referring to FIGS. 1, 3, the tobacco iiowing in chute S0 from trough E6 is continuously picked by variable speed picker roller 100 although the rate of removal from chute 30 is varied in accordance with variations in the density of the moving tobacco stream on belt 12. The tobacco conveyed by picker roiler 100 is fed to a second picker roller 104 which rotates at a constant speed and showers tobacco through an outlet chute 106 onto moving tape 12. The structural arrangement of picker roller 104 and chute 106 serve to focus the shower of tobacco onto tape 12 at high velocities and will now be described in more detail.

Picker roller 100 which may be of conventional pin- Wheel design is mounted within a housing 100 (FiGS. 3, 6) and is driven by output shaft 98 of differential gears 94 which are contained in a gear box 107, mounted on the rear wall of housing 108 (FlG. 6). Roller 100 which serves as a metering device to meter selected portions of the tobacco stream from chute 80 is positioned so that its outer periphery, having pins 110 arranged in rows in the conventional manner, lies in the path of travel of the tobacco flowing from chute 00. The tobacco is transported by means of pins 110 along wall 112 of housing 100 until it is engaged and carried forward along concave wall 114 by pins 116 of picker roller 10d.

Picker roller 104, which is best seen in FIG. 9, has pins 116 arranged in a plurality of skewed rows about its outer cylindrical periphery. Aflxed to the base of pins 116 and adjacent the outer peripheral surface 113 are a plurality of varies' 120, disposed in a skewed arrangement complementary to pins 116. Concave walls 114, 122 of housing 108 concentrically surround roller 10d and cooperate therewith to provide a duct which connes, in a circular path, the flow of air created by vanes 120 during rotation of picker roller 104. Vanes 120, operating in conjunction with housing walls 114 and 122, thus function as a blower assembly to create a moving air stream which aids in directing the tobacco picked from metering roller 100 along concave wall 114 and into discharge chute 106 at a high velocity.

Discharge chute 106 may be rectangular in configuration and preferably has an upper edge 12d tangent to the curve of concave wall 114. The high speed shower of tobacco created by rotation of roller 104 is blown into chute 106 by the action of vanes 120, where it is directed .by the chute, which acts as a focusing shield, through an outlet 126 and onto moving tape 12 at a position preferably just before the tobacco is compressed and where Vthe moving belt has assumed a U shape through the action of conventional belt guides 127. The tangential arrangement of chute 106 with respect to concave wall 114 in combination with the blower action of picker roller 100 forms the picked portion of tobacco particles into a sharply deiined stream which strikes the main portion of tobacco moving on belt 12 with a narrow angular spread. Since all tobacco particles are substantially uniformly accelerated through chute 106, each particle reaches tape 12 at approximately the same speed. The blower rollerconcave-focusing chute arrangement of the present invention eliminates gravity fallout of the subsidiary tobacco stream with its broad and consequently poor distribution. The metered portions of the tobacco falling through chute S0 are thus delivered onto belt 12 with the same variability as picked by roller 100.

Referring to FIG. 5, roller 104 may be driven through a shaft 128 from constant speed motor 96 or it may be driven from the main drive shaft of cigarette machine 13 (FIG. 2). The speed of roller 104 is selected to produce the high velocity, narrow angle shower from chute 106 and thus take full advantage of this feature of the invention.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, constant speed motor 96, through gears 97, 99, 102 mounted in gear box 101 (FIG. 6) provides the required constant speed input to differential gear train 94. The variable `speed input is supplied from servo motor 92 through gears 103, 105 also contained in gear box 101. Shaft 9S, which may be mounted in a sleeve bearing 107, thus drives picker roller at a speed which is the algebraic sum of the speeds of motor 96 and servo motor 92.

lf desired, constant speed motor 96 also may provide power through belt 109 and pulleys 111, 113 to drive a conventional compressor wheel R, as used in cigarette rod forming operations.

It is well known that long term variations in the weight of the cigarette forming tobacco cause a drift in the mean or group weight of a plurality of cigarettes. A detector such as a radiation gauge, or, in particular an X-ray gauge, of the type responsive to changes in the density of material measured over a period of several seconds duration may be utilized in the present invention to detect such variations, and may be the well known source-gapchamber arrangement. Thus, in FIG. l, by way of example, there is shown a source of radiation disposed adjacent to the path of travel of the moving tobacco on tape 12, with an ionization chamber positioned opposite thereto. An amplifier 134, which translates variations in the density of the moving tobacco stream into a signal of reversible polarity and varying magnitude has an input connected to chamber 132 and an output connected to reversible motor 64 of extractor 14. The measurement of the density of tobacco over a relatively long period of time to secure a signal for control purposes responsive to variations in the measured density, is well known. Apparatus suitable for use with the present invention may be that described in US. Patent No. 2,932,391, issued April 12, 1960, to W. C. Broekhuysen.

Extractor 114i` is adapted to correct for long term variations in the cigarette weight, as described above, but also is adjusted to starve the main feed shower 11 by extracting a substantial amount of tobacco therefrom, such as, for example, 20% of the total feed. The extracted 20% is fed to subsidiary hopper 78 in the manner described, from which selected portions are returned to the tobacco stream moving on belt 12 as called for by detector 88, so that substantially 100% of the desired weight is achieved at all times.

Of course, it will be appreciated that for proper operation of the system, the main feed is initially adjusted to a slightly overfeeding condition so that prior to the extracting operation the quantity of tobacco forming shower 11 is greater than the desired 100% weight. Then, since extractor 14 is adjusted to starve the main feed shower 11 to provide only 80% of the desired `total weight, the quantity of extracted tobacco fed to subsidiary hopper 78 will, in practice, slightly exceed the 20% required to be delivered to belt 12 by metering unit 87. This slight excess remains in subsidiary hopper '78, and insures that at all times the hopper is amply Supplied with tobacco.

As extractor 14 has a comparatively slow response with respect to the subsidiary hopper mechanism, instances arise wherein the shower 11 falling upon belt 12 exceeds the desired 80%, thus requiring subsidiary hopper 7 8 to supply less than its allotted 20%. In this situation the extracted tobacco is stored temporarily in chute S0 until needed. Overflow of chute 80 is prevented by a tobacco diverting system, described as follows.

A photocell 136, or other light sensitive device, positioned at a selected height along a wall of chute 80, with a light source 138 positioned on the wall opposite thereto, is connected to an electronic amplifier 140 controlling a solenoid 142. Interruption of light from source 138 by a column of tobacco filling chute 80 energizes solenoid 142. Acting through linkage, generally indicated as 144 and described in more detail below, solenoid 142 then moves vibratory conveyor trough 55 laterally in a direction such that the tobacco being conveyed therein is diverted into chute 82. Simultaneously therewith, a conventional motor direction controller 146 of known design, which is connected to amplifier 140, reverses motor 86, causing shaft 84 to turn in the opposite direction and aid in directing the flow of tobacco from vibratory trough 56 into diverting chute 82. The excess tobacco is then transported by a trough 148, Vibrated by a suitable vibrator 150, to a conveyor tube 152. An air blower 154 with a venturi type outlet 156 is connected to conveyor tube 152 and acts to blow the excess tobacco rearwardly and upwardly through an exhaust outlet 157, positioned on the top, rear surface of feed hopper H and communieating with the interior thereof. Thus, the excess tobacco is again recirculated, by being added to the main tobacco supply stored in the usual manner, in feed hopper H.

The operation of solenoid 142, linkage 144 and shiftable vibrator 72 will now be described in more detail in connection with FIGS. 3, 7. Afiixed to vibratory trough 56 by means of a bracket 158 are a pair of spring leaves 160, 152 which have their opposite ends attached to a bridging member 164. Attached to the bottom of bridging member 164 are a pair of resilient support plates 165, 168, having opposite ends aixed to a mounting bar 170 which, in turn, is rigidly mounted on the main frame of the cigarette machine 13. Secured to the bottom of bridging member 164 is a weight 172 which supplies mass to the vibrating system. A stop 174, mounted on bar 170, limits the travel of weight 172 which has a depending extension 176 for engagement therewith. Vibrating motion for trough 56 is transmitted thereto by a solenoid type vibrator 178 mounted on bridging member 164 as by bolt 180, and which has an actuating arm 182 secured to trough 56 by means of strap 184. Upon application of a suitable A.C. voltage to vibrator 178, trough 56 is vibrated laterally with its travel restrained by the bending of spring leaves 160, 162.

When the quantity of tobacco in chute 80 exceeds the vertical level determined by photocell 136 and lamp 138, solenoid 142 is actuated, causing attached arm 188 to move outwardly and away therefrom (FIGS. 3, 4). A crank arm 190, attached to arm 188 by pin 192, pivots about pin 194 and causes arm 196, secured to the remote end thereof by pin 198, to move bridging member 164 in a lateral direction towards chute 80. Arm 196 is pivotally attached to bridging member 164 by a pin 200. The lateral movement of trough 56 when solenoid 142 is actuated, is sufficient to cover chute 80 and position the outlet of the trough over chute 82 as shown in FIG. 8. The excess extracted tobacco then by-passes chute 82 and falls into vibrating trough 148 where it is conducted back to main feed hopper H to be recirculated as described above. Vibrating mechanism 150, attached to trough 148, may be a solenoid type vibrator of the type described in connection with chute 80, or it may be a leaf spring mounted type as shown in FIG. 6 and similar to the vibrator just described in connection with trough 56.

Operation of extractor screw 44 may be observed through window 202 in the outer wall of shower chamber 10.

The organization of the invention in combination with a conventional continuous rod cigarette making machine 13 is shown in FIG. 2. The principal components of the maker 13 consist of a rod folder tongue U, rod former V, a cigarette rod paster P, a rod sealer S, a cut-off device C and a cigarette catcher or collector B. The manner in which these components of a cigarette making machine function may be briefly described as follows:

The tobacco feed M showers tobacco continuously onto traveling tape 12 which delivers the showered tobacco to the traveling paper web W. In a preferred embodiment of the invention approximately of the shower is contributed by feeder M, the remaining 20% being extracted by extractor 14 and delivered to subsidiary feed hopper 78 where it is selectively reapplied as needed, -to the moving stream by means of the metering unit 87. Thus, by the time the tobacco reaches its junction with paper web W it has substantially of the desired weight and is of substantially uniform density.

The paper web W is fed from a reel Y and is guided through the rod folder tongue U, the rod paster P which applies a strip of paste to the lap edge of the cigarette rod, the rod former V and the rod sealer S, by a continuously moving folding belt A driven by drum D, which is connected to the prime mechanical driving source of the machine. When the cigarette rod F emerges from the rod sealer S it passes through a cigarette cutter C wherein knives driven in proper time relation with the movement of the cigarette rod cut off individual cigarettes of a predetermined length from the rod. The cut cigarettes are next deposited on catcher belts B which deliver them to a suitable collecting receptacle.

For purposes of illistration, the detecting device for measuring the long term variations in the density of the cigarette rod generally indicated as and comprising units 130, 132, is shown as positioned between the rod sealer S and the cutoff device C. However, it will be understood that it may be positioned anywhere along the path of travel of the moving stream of tobacco, either before it has been formed into a cigarette rod or afterwards, provided it is positioned subsequent to `the location of the output and focusing chute 106 of subsidiary feed hopper 78. It will thus be seen that tobacco is extracted from shower 11 in varying amounts in accordance with measured long term variations in the weight of the cigarette rod. The extracted tobacco in the form of separated or flowing particles is then fed to an individual weight control unit comprising a subsidiary feed hopper 78 and a metering unit 87, where it is applied to the moving stream of tobacco T variably in accordance with detected short term variations in the density of the tobacco .showered upon tape 12. It will also be seen that according to the invention, weight detector 135 measures the integrated results of the individual weight corrections and corrects the main feed M accordingly.

While the invention has been disclosed by means of a conveyor, a main tobacco feed for feeding to- ]acent said conveyor for showering tobacco thereon to 'form a composite stream of tobacco, first detecting means interposed between said main and subsidiary feeds for detecting short term variations in the density of successive increments of said tobacco supplied by said main feed, means associated with said first detecting means and operative in response to said short term variations for varying the rate of tobacco showered by said subsidiary feed to compensate for said variations in the density of said tobacco stream delivered by said main feed, second detecting means operative to detect long term variations in the density of said composite stream, extracting means connected to said second detecting means and associated with said main feed for extracting a portion of said tobacco being fed from said main feed in accordance with said detected long term variations, and means for conveying said extracted portion to said subsidiary feed to supply tobacco thereto.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said second detector is operative to integrate said detected variations in the density of said composite stream over at least a three second time interval.

3. In a system for controlling the relative density of individual cigarettes produced by a cigarette making machine of the continuous rod type, the combination comprising, a conveyor, a main tobacco feed for showering tobacco onto said conveyor, a subsidiary feed disposed adjacent said conveyor for showering tobacco thereon to form a composite stream of tobacco, first detecting means interposed between said main and subsidiary feeds for detecting short term variations in the density of successive increments of said tobacco supplied by said main feed, means associated with said first detecting means and operative in response to said short term variations for varying the rate of tobacco showered by said subsidiary feed to compensate for relative variations in the density of said tobacco stream delivered by said main feed, a movable member associated with said main feed and laterally disposed in the path of travel of said main shower and adapted to intercept a portion of said shower, positively driven means projecting into the path of travel of said shower and operative to remove said intercepted portion of said shower from said member, means associated with said subsidiary feed and operative to deliver thereto said intercepted portions of said shower to provide a continuous fiow, in varying quantity, of tobacco from said main feed, through said subsidiary feed, to said conveyor to form said composite stream, second detecting means positioned adjacent the path of travel of said composite stream and operative to detect long term variations in the density of said composite stream, and means connected to said second detetcing means and operative in response to said long term variations for moving said member in the path of travel of said shower to divert more or less tobacco to said subsidiary feed.

4. In a system for controlling the relative density of individual cigarettes produced by a cigarette making machine of the continuous rod type, the combination comprising, a conveyor, a main tobacco feed for feeding tobacco to said conveyor, means associated with said conveyor for forming the tobacco delivered by said main feed into a uniform cross-section, a subsidiary feed positioned along the path of travel of said conveyor after said cross-section forming means and disposed adjacent said conveyor for showering tobacco thereon to form a composite stream of tobacco, first detecting means interposed between said main and subsidiary feeds for detecting relative variations in the density of successive increments of said tobacco supplied by said main feed, means associated with said iirst detecting means and operative in response to said density variations for varying the rate of tobacco showered by said subsidiary feed to compensate for variations in said tobacco stream delivered by said main feed, second detecting means operative to detect variations in the density of said composite stream and integrate said detected variations over a time interval ofat least one second, means connected to said second detecting means and associated with said main feed for extracting a portion of said tobacco being fed from said feed in accordance with said detected and integrated variations, and means for conveying said extracted portion to said subsidiary feed to provide a source of tobacco therefor.

5. In a system for controlling the relative density of individual cigarettes produced by a cigarette making machine of the continuous rod type, the combination comprising, a conveyor, a main tobacco feed for feeding tobacco to said conveyor, a subsidiary feed disposed adjacent said conveyor for showering tobacco thereon to form a composite stream of tobacco, first detecting means interposed between said main and subsidiary feeds for detecting short term variations in the density of successive increments of said tobacco supplied by said main feed, means associated Within said irst detecting means and operative in response to said short term variations for varying the rate of tobacco showered by said subsidiary feed to compensate for said variations in the density of said tobacco stream delivered by said main feed, second detecting means operative to detect long term variations in the density of said composite stream, extracting means connected to said second detecting means and associated with said main feed for extracting a portion of said tobacco being fed from said main feed in accordance with said detected long term variations, and means for conveying said extracted portion to said subsidiary feed to supply tobacco thereto, said extracting means being operative to remove an excess amount of tobacco from said main feed so that the quantity of tobacco fed from said main feed to said conveyor is less than a predetermined norm, said subsidiary feed being operative to compensate for said detected short term 'density variations and add selected amounts of tobacco to said underfed stream, said added amounts forming said composite stream having a uniform density and an incremental cross-sectional quantity substantiaiiy equal to said predetermined norm.

6. A system for controlling the relative density of individual cigarettes produced by a cigarette making machine of the continuous rod type comprising, a conveyor, a main tobacco feed for feeding tobacco to said conveyor, a subsidiary feed disposed adjacent said conveyor for showering tobacco thereon to form a composite, moving stream of tobacco, means interposed between said main and subsidiary feeds for detecting relative variations in the density of successive increments of tobacco supplied by said main feed, said subsidiary feed comprising a tobacco metering unit for depositing selected portions of tobacco on said moving stream, metering means associated with said metering unit and operative in response to said detected density variationss for varying the rate at which tobacco is deposited by said metering unit, a hopper communicating with said metering unit for temporarily storing tobacco to be distributed by said unit, a laterally movable tobacco conveying trough positioned adjacent to said hopper for supplying tobacco thereto from a source of tobacco supply, actuating means for selectively shifting said movable trough to divert away from said hopper the tobacco being conveyed in said trough, transporting means communicating with said main feed for conveying said diverted tobacco to said main feed to be recycled thereby, and level sensing means associated with said hopper and operative when a predetermined level of tobacco is exceeded, to energize said actuating means, whereby said tobacco is diverted to said transporting means.

7. In an individual cigarette weight control system, a subsidiary feed comprising a tobacco metering unit for depositing selected portions of tobacco on a moving stream thereof, a hopper communicating with said metering unit for temporarily storing tobacco to be distributed by said unit, a laterally movable tobacco conveying trough positioned adjacent to said hopper for supplying tobacco thereto from a source of tobacco supply, actuating means for selectively shifting said movable trough to divert away from said hopper the tobacco being conveyed in said trough, and level sensing means associated with said hopper and operative when a predetermined level of tobacco is exceeded to energize said actuating means, whereby said tobacco is diverted away from said hopper.

8. In an individual weight control system, a subsidiary feed comprising a tobacco metering unit for depositing selected portions of tobacco on a moving stream thereof, a hopper for temporarily storing tobacco to be distributed il by said metering unit, said hopper having first and second chutes with mouth openings in juxtaposition, said first chute communicating with said metering unit to deliver stored tobacco thereto, said second chute having means for conducting tobacco supplied thereto away from said hopper, a laterally movable conveying trough positioned adjacent to the mouth opening of said first chute for supplying tobacco thereto from a source of tobacco supply, actuating means for selectively shifting said movable trough from said first chute to a position adjacent the mouth opening of said second chute to divert tobacco away from said first chute, and level sensing means associated with said first chute and operative when a predetermined level of tobacco therein is exceeded, to energize said actuating means and divert tobacco from said first chute to said second chute.

9. In an individual weight control system, a subsidiary feed comprising a tobacco metering unit for depositing selected portions of tobacco on a moving stream thereof, a hopper for temporarily storing tobacco to be distributed by said metering unit, said hopper having first and second chute with mouth openings in juxtaposition, said first chute communicating with said metering unit to deliver stored tobacco thereto, said second chute having means for conducting tobacco away from said hopper, a laterally iovable conveying trough position adjacent to the mouth opening of said first chute for supplying tobacco thereto from a source of tobacco supply, trough actuating means operative to selectively shift said movable trough from said first chute to a position adjacent the mouth opening of said second chute and overlapping said first chute mouth to provide a cover therefor, and level sensing means associated with said first chute and operative when a predetermined level of tobacco therein is exceeded, to energize said actuating means and divert tobacco from said first chute to said second cute.

10. In an individual weight control system, a subsidiary feed comprising a tobacco metering unit for depositing selected portions of tobacco on a moving stream thereof, a hopper for temporarily storing tobacco to be distributed by said metering unit, said hopper having first and second chutes with mouth openings in juxtaposition, said first chute communicating with said metering unit to deliver stored tobacco thereto, said second chute having means for conducting tobacco away from said hopper, a laterally movable conveying trough positioned adjacent to the mouth opening of said first chute for supplying tobacco thereto from a source of tobacco supply, actuating means for selectively shifting said movable trough from said first chute to a position adjacent the mouth opening of said second chute to allow tobacco to ow therethrough, a rotatable shaft laterally positioned between said juxtaposed mouth openings and said chutes, driving means attached to said shaft and adapted to rotate said shaft in selected directions to aid the flow of tobacco selectively through Said first or second chutes, and level sensing means associated with said first chute and operative when a predetermined level of tobacco therein is exceeded to both energize said actuating means and cause said shaft driving means to reverse the direction of said rotating shaft, whereby tobacco is diverted from said first chute to said second chute.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 464,483 Smith Dec. l, 1891 669,138 Grabau Mar. 5, 1901 750,254 Calberla Jan. 26, 1904 1,030,228 Calderwood June 18, 1912 2,162,443 Muller June 13, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS 324,930 Great Britain Feb. 5, 1930 

5. IN A SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING THE RELATIVE DENSITY OF INDIVIDUAL CIGARETTES PRODUCED BY A CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINE OF THE CONTINUOUS ROD TYPE, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING, A CONVEYOR, A MAIN TOBACCO FEED FOR FEEDING TOBACCO TO SAID CONVEYOR, A SUBSIDIARY FEED DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID CONVEYOR FOR SHOWERING TOBACCO THEREON TO FORM A COMPOSITE STREAM OF TOBACCO, FIRST DETECTING MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID MAIN AND SUBSIDIARY FEEDS FOR DETECTING SHORT TERM VARIATIONS IN THE DENSITY OF SUCCESSIVE INCREMENTS OF SAID TOBACCO SUPPLIED BY SAID MAIN FEED, MEANS ASSOCIATED WITHIN SAID FIRST DETECTING MEANS AND OPERATIVE IN RESPONSE TO SAID SHORT TERM VARIATIONS FOR VARYING THE RATE OF TOBACCO SHOWERED BY SAID SUBSIDIARY FEED TO COMPENSATE FOR SAID VARIATIONS IN THE DENSITY OF SAID TOBACCO STREAM DELIVERED BY SAID MAIN FEED, SECOND DETECTING MEANS OPERATIVE TO DETECT LONG TERM VARIATIONS IN THE DENSITY OF SAID COMPOSITE STREAM, EXTRACTING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID SECOND DETECTING MEANS AND ASSOCIATED WITH SAID MAIN FEED FOR EXTRACTING A PORTION OF SAID TOBACCO BEING FED FROM SAID MAIN FEED IN ACCORDANCE WITH SAID DETECTED LONG TERM VARIATIONS, AND MEANS FOR CONVEYING SAID EXTRACTED PORTION TO SAID SUBSIDIARY FEED TO SUPPLY TOBACCO THERETO, SAID EXTRACTING MEANS BEING OPERATIVE TO REMOVE AN EXCESS AMOUNT OF TOBACCO FROM SAID MAIN FEED SO THAT THE QUANTITY OF TOBACCO FED FROM SAID MAIN FEED TO SAID CONVEYOR IS LESS THAN A PREDETERMINED NORM, SAID SUBSIDIARY FEED BEING OPERATIVE TO COMPENSATE FOR SAID DETECTED SHORT TERM DENSITY VARIATIONS AND ADD SELECTED AMOUNTS OF TOBACCO TO SAID UNDERFED STREAM, SAID ADDED AMOUNTS FORMING SAID COMPOSITE STREAM HAVING A UNIFORM DENSITY AND AN INCREMENTAL CROSS-SECTIONAL QUANTITY SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO SAID PREDETERMINED NORM. 